Creative Kernow, based at Krowji, is the umbrella organisation for the following nine projects. Together we support the production, promotion and distribution of work by creative practitioners in Cornwall because we believe in creativity's transformative power and want more people to benefit from it.

Promoters

Menu Parties

We hold menu parties twice a year, in April and September, and this is where you get the opportunity to book shows for the forthcoming season, to hear details of the shows, listen to clips and meet some of the performers who come along to give short extracts or talk about their shows.

The list of shows (the menu) covers all different genres and these will be presented at the party, and all the details are contained in the menu brochure. We hold two evening parties per season, one in the west and one in the east, to make it easier for travelling.

After you have made your choices from the menu, we will confirm the dates with the artists, and issue you with a confirmation contract. We send you two copies, and ask you to fill in details such as performance start time, box office telephone number. This is really important as it’s used in our season brochure. You then return both copies to us; we’ll sign them off and return one copy to you for your records.

Once you’ve returned your contract, we will send out the artist’s contracts, and give them your contact details for publicity materials.

You will be paying a minimum fee or 80% of the box office takings, which ever is the greater figure. You keep the other 20% and any sales from refreshments, raffles etc.

After the show, we need to you complete a box office return form detailing your ticket sales and send it back to us along with a cheque.

Publicity

There are lots of ways of promoting your show but it does take enthusiasm and commitment. Whatever methods you apply, be sure to be very clear about the following:

The name of the show

The name of the venue

Where the venue is

What time the show starts

What the arrival time is

How much the tickets cost

How to buy a ticket

A contact name and number

Carn to Cove ask all the artists to provide posters for you to use. We ask for about 30 A4 posters and as much as 200 leaflets.

You are responsible for the ‘overprinting’ of the posters. This means there will be room on the posters for you to paste onto the poster a simply printed note with the details of your venue, the date and time of your show and a contact telephone number.

Put your posters up:

At the venue, at work, Arts Centres, Bed & Breakfasts and hotels, bus shelters, cafes, churches and Parish Council notice boards, council buildings, drop in centres, hospitals, in village and other local shops (supermarkets generally have community notice boards), lamp-posts and telegraph posts, libraries, local theatres, museums, post offices, pubs and clubs, recreation, centres and swimming pools, schools and colleges, surgeries, tourist offices.

At the above places they should have space to take a dozen or so. Send a leaflet in the post to all your contacts, members of your village hall, friends and business colleagues.

One of the most effective ways of promoting local events is word of mouth. If you are enthusiastic about your show, that enthusiasm will definitely rub off! Tell everyone you know about the show and tell them how great it’s going to be.

Put a notice in the free listings of your local paper. The newspaper usually requires about a fortnight’s notice. You should not have to pay to be included in newspaper listings sections.

Write your press release, invite the newspaper to send a photographer to take a photograph of, for example, a couple of volunteers putting up posters.

BBC Radio Cornwall is also worth contacting, your local parish magazine and newsletters too.

If you have access to email, send details of the show to everyone you know who has an email address.

Word of mouth can start A.S.A.P.

Posters & contact the press about three weeks before your show.

Tickets

You can choose to sell tickets locally or through our online ticketing system. The system is very flexible and most venues do a combination of both methods. You can make your own tickets or ask CRBO to print them for you (for a small charge).

Your tickets should have the following information on them:

Title of event

The venue

The name of your group

The date of the show

The time of the show

The ticket number

The ticket price

Contact number

Conditions of entry

The Carn to Cove logo

Make it easy for people to buy tickets.

If they have to phone for a ticket, make sure they know when would be the best time to call, use an answer-phone and if someone leaves a message call them back. Potential customers will soon get disgruntled if they can’t get what they want!

Technicalities

Creating a technical information sheet is the easiest way of arming yourself with the right information should anyone require it. It helps you be absolutely clear on what you can provide on a practical level. It should include:

A general introduction about the venue, your community group and the kind of events / community projects you do.

The venue name, address, telephone, fax and email.

The key-holder’s name, address and phone number.

A map or directions of how to find the village hall and the key-holder’s house.

Access – are there any steps? How wide and high are the doors?

A simple floor plan.

A cross section of the hall, with heights and roof beams in the way.

Venue size – length, width, unobstructed height.

Stage, if you have one, size and height off the floor.

Stage and window curtains, what colour are they?

Floor surface; e.g. wood, lino, smooth or rough.

Black out; full black out, curtains, high windows.

Lighting equipment, if any.

Sound equipment, if any.

Power supply, single or double phase, how many 13 amp, 32 amp, or 63 amp sockets?

Disabled access and facilities.

Dressing rooms, kitchens, toilets, how big and how many?

Refreshments

The Performance

As the date for your show draws near, the performers will discuss with you when they will need to arrive at your venue and how long they need to set up before the start of the show. It is really important that the person who has promised to let the performers into the hall is at the right place at the right time!

When the company arrives

Give them a warm welcome, a cup of tea and offer to help.

Ideally, they should unload through a wide door and straight into the performance area.

Warn them beforehand about double yellow lines and 3 flights of stairs!

Be on-hand to answer any questions and help, e.g. where they can park and unload, where the fuse box is, is there a telephone, who will switch the house lights on and off. But give them enough time and space to set up.

The performer will not expect quality changing rooms, but they welcome:

Heating and cleanliness.

A place for hanging costumes and a full length mirror

Their own toilets, if possible.

Access to a kitchen when setting up.

Your volunteers should:

Arrive at the venue before the audience does – at least 45 minutes.

Arrange things: box office, programmes and raffle tickets etc.

Make clear signs, showing prices and the name for cheques.

Be very clear how many seats you can sell, and how many more can stand at the back.

For late-comers: A volunteer have to wait outside the performance area

Check at the end of the night for electrical appliances are turned off

Insurance: Is it needed for the building, contents, personal belongings and public liability?

Licensed, for what?

At the end of the show

At the end of the show:

You are the host – thank the audience for coming – but keep it brief!

There are always things to do afterwards – ask for as much help afterwards as for setting up or one lonely person (probably you!) will be stacking chairs whilst everyone else is in the pub!

Tell the world afterwards:

Report back to any committee members who weren’t there.

Report back to Carn to Cove.

Send in forms, and especially money, required by Carn to Cove as soon as possible – before you lose track or forget!

Carn to Cove will send you ‘feedback’ forms to fill in. We really need your thoughts and observations.

In general, if your performers are ‘adopting a role’ (theatre, opera etc.) or you are promoting music or public dancing you need to be covered by a Premises Licence. We recommend that you check with Cornwall Council to be certain of what kind of licence you need for what type of performance. The contact is Jessica who is based in the Penzance office.

Contact

Carn to Cove is part of Creative Kernow Ltd, Charity No. 292138, Company No. 01727731. We are funded by Arts Council England and Cornwall Council. Registered Address: Krowji, West Park, Redruth TR15 3AJ